


Complicated

by mehna



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec Lightwood & Maia Roberts Friendship, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Human, Famous Alec Lightwood, First Kiss, First Meetings, Fluff, Jock Alec Lightwood, M/M, Texting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-01
Updated: 2018-05-01
Packaged: 2019-04-30 20:45:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14505141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mehna/pseuds/mehna
Summary: When Magnus texts a random number he found in a textbook, the last thing he expects is for it to be Alec Lightwood, the college famous basketball player.Based off a Sterek AU of the same title by Dylansoperfect





	Complicated

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Complicated](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7154756) by [Dylansoperfect](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dylansoperfect/pseuds/Dylansoperfect). 



> Heyyy :D
> 
> So I've been having a pretty shit week and I wanted to write something short and fluffy, and then my friend sent me this Sterek fic and even though I don't actually read any Teen Wolf fanfic, she insisted that this one would be cute for Malec and so I read it and here we are. If you do like TW, I recommend you go and read it because it's super cute and fluffy.
> 
> Happy reading!

If Magnus were being honest with himself, he would blame the whole debacle on the amount of alcohol he consumed that night, but since he was Magnus Bane and had a reputation to uphold, he instead blamed it on Ragnor.

For whatever reason, Magnus’ intoxicated brain thought breaking into a _Library_ of all places was a thrilling adventure – in his defence they did have ridiculously comfortable bean bags and giant sized chess - and so that’s how both he and Ragnor found themselves on their campus library, mindlessly strolling through the aisles after multiple rounds of the admittedly boring board game.

When he reached the Theatrical Arts section, Magnus decided he may as well gather some extra study material for the upcoming semester. He checked out several books, one of which he’d found buried right on the top shelf hidden by the various books lined up there.

They were lucky they didn’t get caught – although it was probably because nobody locked the library at night, but Magnus was going to say they broke in because _reputation_ , duh – and once they returned to their off-campus house, both he and Ragnor passed out from that evenings drunken adventure.

It was a week later when Magnus pulled out the books again, flipping through the pile before finding the one he wanted and then through the pages to find the section. When he’d read just over half of it, he frowned upon seeing the doodles in the book.

With a dramatic roll of his eye, Magnus called out to Clary, one of his housemates.

“Biscuit! Did you draw in my text book again?”

“That was _one_ time, Magnus!” Clary shouted back from her room before walking into his and flopping down on his bed a minute later.

She peered over his shoulder and hummed appreciatively at the little drawings of animals before pointing to the corner where Magnus hadn’t realised a set of numbers were scrawled.

“I think it’s a phone number,” Magnus mused, eyeing the ten digits in fairly neat writing.

“I’ll give you twenty dollars if you call it.”

“What? No. I’m not going to call some random person, what the hell do you want me to say?” Magnus scrunched his eyebrows up in confusion at her.

“How about ‘hey, I found your number written in this textbook’?” Clary offered with a raised brow. When Magnus didn’t dignify her with a response, she lightly shoved his shoulder to get his attention again. “How about a text for homemade cinnamon buns?”

Magnus had always had a weak spot for Clary’s cinnamon buns.

**Alec PV**

_Hello_

Alec frowned down at his phone screen once he saw the message, wondering if he’d given anyone his number recently.

Who was he kidding; he _never_ gave out his number.

_I’m sorry, your number’s not saved in my phone. Do I know you?_

_No. I found your number in a text book._

_What? Where?_

_In the campus Library at Columbia._

Alec wasn’t sure what to reply with. Why would his number be in a text book?

He didn’t have to ponder on it for long as Maia walked into their dorm room they shared with Jace and Lily, two coffee cups in a tray in one hand and notebook tucked under the other.

“What’s wrong with your face?” she asked and Alec scowled at her.

“Hello to you too, Maia,” he grumbled dryly but a smile tugged at his lips when she handed him one of the coffees before plopping down next to him on their couch.

She rolled her eyes before they landed on his phone, quickly skimming through the messages before her eyes widened and her hand covered her mouth trying – and failing – to hide the laugh that wanted to escape.

“Maia!” Alec screeched, knowing that the current expression she wore meant she had some part in whatever this was.

“I can’t believe someone found that! I wrote it like two years ago!” she giggled as Alec stared at her with a stern look, waiting for an explanation that he just knew would rile him up. “So is it a boy? Is he cute?” She was practically buzzing with excitement.

“I didn’t ask.” Alec answered, knowing that arguing about invasion of privacy was pointless since Maia was exactly like Isabelle when it came to things like this.

“Well ask him!” she demanded as if asking that to a complete stranger wasn’t weird at all.

“I’m not asking if he’s cute Maia!” Alec huffed

“You’re Alec Fucking Lightwood, you can do whatever the hell you want.” She shot back rather determinedly. When he didn’t say anything, she sighed heavily and got up to head to her room. “Your loss dude, they could be the hottest shit ever and you’d never even know.”

He sat in silence for a moment, contemplating what to do. When he’d applied to college, both Columbia and Harvard had offered him a place and so he chose Columbia, wanting to stay close to his family. Halfway through the first semester though, Harvard got in contact with him just after his first Basketball game playing for Columbia and offered him a full paid scholarship for the duration of his course. It was a fairly easy choice after that and so he’d moved to Boston, Maia and Jace transferring too because where he went, they followed, and thus began the exciting years of his sort of professional University life.

He’d always loved Basketball, played with Jace throughout all of high school while Maia managed their team. It was as simple as breathing to have that transfer onto his University application and so he’d chosen to study Physical Therapy while playing officially for Harvard’s team during the four years of his course.

Of course, with that came the sudden popularity and Alec never dealt well with being the centre of attention. He’d come out when he was 14 during high school, it was relatively easy to stay out of the limelight. Sure, he was the captain of the schools team but his grumpy and scowly (as Jace and Maia liked to call it) attitude resulted in people keeping their distance, especially since only he and another boy were out in their year so apart from during the games, no one actually paid him much attention or tried flirting with him.

Come University life though, his popularity rose quite high after becoming one of the top scorers and breaking the record for most points scored by a freshman, earning his place amongst the well known College players. Now he was in his junior year and as much as he loved the sport, he wished he could go back to how it was in high school where the people that spoke to him did it for him rather than his title.

He knew he was overreacting, Izzy said he did it all the time and though he’d never admit it to her face, he knew she was right. But he didn’t want to take the risk and he knew that if this stranger knew who he was, they could be tempted to sell his number.

So with a sigh, he finally sent another text message, receiving a response almost instantly.

_Could you erase it please?_

_Sure, but I’m leaving the 69 in because that’s too precious to eradicate._

Alec snorted despite himself. He was probably talking to some random freshman.

_If you didn’t want it there, why did you write it in the first place?_

_I didn’t. My friend wrote it there years ago._

_Years?_

_Yeah, two years._

_Oh, it sounded longer. Here I was thinking you were married with kids in your forties._

_Nope, no spouse and no kids. I’m a Junior._

_Great._

Alec didn’t know what to make of that, so he just left it there.

**Magnus PV**

It was winter break and Magnus was delighted to have four weeks off. He’d still be rehearsing but that was more like hanging out with friends rather than actual work.

He was currently squished between Raphael and Camille as the majority of the theatre crew cuddled with their significant others, celebrating Ragnor and Catarina’s engagement.

Raphael had his usual bored and grumpy expression plastered on his face while Camille was attempting to start a conversation with him. Though he understood that she was part of the play, he really wished she didn’t have to be there.

Magnus had dated her for a couple of months in his sophomore year, mostly to stop her continuous flirting because though it flattered him, he really didn’t want it. He admitted that she was beautiful, but underneath all of that makeup and designer clothes he could see something cruel so he broke it off pretty soon after it started. Unfortunately, she didn’t get the memo and continued to try and act as if they were still together. It was quite pathetic, but there wasn’t much he could do since she was still his classmate and co-worker.

He gave her single worded answers, instead spending his time talking to Harvard Boy. After their first conversation, there was a week of silence until Magnus sent him a picture of the doodles in the book asking if any were his. From there on, their conversation blossomed and soon enough, he became someone Magnus spoke to nonstop unless one of them were busy.

Ragnor and Catarina had thought his _crush_ was adorable and kept teasing him about it even though he continuously argued that they were just friends.

Even after months of their texting, Harvard Boy was still reluctant to tell Magnus his name. At first, Magnus’ crazy and wild imagination conjured up a whole story of how he was probably a serial killer, but then Magnus thought logically, and since the boy shared multiple stories about his siblings and friends, all of which Magnus could tell were sincere, he ruled out the possibility of having a slight crush (not that he’d tell Ragnor or Catarina how he felt) on some psychopathic murderer.

  _I’m in the library with my study group, what about you?_

_At my best friends’ engagement party, terribly bored and horribly single._

_Why didn’t you take a date?_

Magnus got up, pushing Camille’s hand off him where it was “casually” resting on his knee and walked over to the balcony. He snapped a picture of him mid eye-roll and sent it.

_Contrary to popular belief, sometimes even the people I am interested in aren’t interested in me._

_Well you’re definitely datable._

Magnus pointedly ignored that comment and the flutter of his heart that came along with it.

_It’s hardly a fair game if you know what I look like but I don’t even know your name, darling._

_It’s complicated._

**Alec PV**

“Lightwood, I swear to fucking God if you’re not gonna man up and ask him out, I’m gonna do it for you.” Lily threatened, chucking one of her multiple highlighters at him from across the table.

Alec stared wide eyed at her, ignoring the little tinge of pain from where the fluorescent piece of plastic hit his cheekbone, and then turned to Maia with accusing eyes. “You told her?”

Maia snorted, rolling her eyes as if she were done with the conversation already. “You’ve been texting him like a lovesick puppy all fucking day for the past couple of months, I didn’t need to say anything.”

“I’m not lovesick,” Alec mumbled though it sounded like a lie even to his own ears.

“Stop being a pussy, tell him your goddamn name and ask him out.” Maia said rather sternly.

“But...what if he figures out who I am?”

“You’re not the only Alec that goes to Harvard dickhead.” Lily grumbled, huffing as if Alec was an idiot, which he could understand her reasoning behind.

“Just do it before you lose him.” Maia added softly before both she and Lily dropped the conversation.

Alec sat there in silence thinking about the past couple of months talking to Magnus. _Magnus_ , God even the name was so fucking sexy. He didn’t even realise how much that one random text had changed his life for the better, and now Magnus was always at the top of his contacts list. They’d text about anything and everything and Alec found himself happier than he’d been in a long time because he didn’t feel as lonely.

Maybe that was why he hadn’t told Magnus his name yet, too scared that if Magnus found out who he was, their friendship would change. Deep down Alec knew Magnus wasn’t like that but he couldn’t help how he felt.

He stared down at his phone, the picture Magnus just sent him staring right back at him as Maia and Lily’s words echoed in his head. Alec took in the beautiful and peculiar eyes, a mix between green and gold lined in black kohl and shimmering eye shadow. He took in Magnus’ perfect and plump glossy, rosy lips that looked so fucking kissable.

Fuck it.

_Alec._

_What’s that Darling?_

_Your name?_

_Yeah._

_Short for Alexander?_

_Yeah._

_It’s very fitting with your personality, Alexander_

If Alec blushed at that, Lily and Maia thankfully didn’t call him out on it.

In the end, it was a Friday three months after Alec revealed his name that he really started to panic. The day started out fine and he was only a little nervous for the game Harvard were playing against Columbia, however when Magnus messaged him, he completely lost his shit.

_Alexander, darling I’m dying._

_Who do I have to kill?_

_Biscuit_

_What did she do?_

_Dragged me to the place of my death_

_And where’s that? The gym?_

_Good guess. It’s some basketball game._

All the blood in Alec’s body ran cold, he froze where he was standing next to Jace in the locker room and he was about one second away from having a full blown panic attack.

He tried to believe that it was a different game, that this one tonight wasn’t the only one playing even though he knew it was complete bullshit.

_Which game?_

_Columbia’s playing Harvard and Clary’s in love with one of the players so she dragged me and Solomon._

_And which player is that?_

_Chase something._

Alec snorts despite himself causing Jace to look over with a raised eyebrow at his half panicked, half amused face.

“Apparently Clary’s got some massive crush on you,” he revealed, swallowing down the rising bile at the fact that Magnus is in the same building as him.

“She’s here?” Jace asked, eyes wide in surprise.

“With Magnus,” Alec confirmed with a single nod, and as if this situation couldn’t get any worse, both Maia and Lily chose that moment to walk with shit eating grins on their faces.

“You gonna finally meet your boyfriend then?” Maia asked.

“He’s not my boyfriend.”

“But you wanna take him on dates and cuddle with him and kiss him and bang hi-”

“I don’t!” Alec interrupted, face bright red with embarrassment.

“Keep telling that to yourself, bro,” Jace snorted and patted him on the back.

They all stare at him expectantly even though he has no idea what to say, so he settled for mumbling, “It’s complicated.”

“Alec, the guys never even seen a basketball game in his life, you said so yourself. He likes you for you, stop being so hard on yourself.” Maia said softly, gently running her hand up and down his arm.

They give him a few minutes alone in the locker room and he’s thankful for it, for the moment of peace and quiet for himself.

His phone buzzed in his hands and he looked down to find another message from Magnus along with a picture.

Magnus was pouting adorably, looking like a sad puppy and Alec just wanted to gather him into his arms and hug and kiss the shit out of him because how can someone so sexy be so adorable?

And then the happiness vanished when he realised who was sat next to Magnus. Camille. The leech that kept trying to throw herself onto what was Alec’s.

Fuck. When did he become so possessive?

That did it for him. He fished through his duffle bag for his Letterman jacket and quickly replied to Magnus’ text before rushing out to the gym.

_Are you going to be watching too?_

_Yeah._

**Magnus PV**

“Oh my God he’s here?” Clary squealed, jumping up in delight looking more excited than Magnus was, but that was because he was _internally_ freaking the fuck out.

Alec was going to be here. In the same room as him.

“Who’s here?” Camille’s annoying voice asked but Magnus didn’t even bother turning to her, instead beginning to panic.

“Fuck.” Magnus cursed. “Shit fuck fuck. Fucking shit. Clary! I can’t let him see me like this!” Magnus complained, gesturing to himself and pointedly ignoring Camille who was huffing in annoyance at being ignored.

“You look fine Magnus,” Clary said with a smile and even though Magnus knew she was being sincere, he couldn’t bring himself to agree.

He’d been cooped up in his room – furiously grunting and cursing every time he jabbed himself with a needle as he worked on some of the costumes for play that was premiering in a month’s time – when Clary barged in and literally dragged him out of the house and right into this goddamn gym in his skinny jeans and plain black baggy t-shirt with no make-up and his hair product free, flopping to the side of his face.

Magnus was pretty sure he had random pieces of lose thread stuck to him and his bad mood only worsened when he saw Camille who’d decided to tag along with Sharon and meet him and Clary there.

And now Alec was going to see him like this.

Clary’s high pitched squealing bought him out of his downward spiral and he turned his head to her to find her eyes set on one of the players walking through the doors onto the court.

“He’s here! Look at him,” she sighed dreamily, tugging on Magnus’ arm and pointing to a blonde boy with two different coloured eyes. He was admittedly handsome but Magnus could tell from the smirk on his face that he was probably just as cocky about it and he rolled his eyes.

Typical Jock.

Magnus instantly turned back to his phone, angling it in a way so that Camille couldn’t read over his shoulder like she always tried to do. He sent a series of panicked messages and when he got no response, he began to feel more vulnerable and exposed than he’d have liked.

What was Alec doing that stopped him from replying? Sitting somewhere in the crowd watching Magnus fumble over himself looking like a literal mess? Magnus wished he’d put up more of a fight when Clary dragged-

_Where are you sitting?_

Magnus’ shoulders sagged with relief when his phone buzzed and he typed out his response.

_A couple rows from the front where the Columbia cheerleaders are._

He eyed the whole room, flicking through the various people in the crowds to see if someone was looking back at him but came up with nothing. This was all probably some big joke that Ragnor or Raphael were playing on him. They always liked to mess around with him and were probably in the crowd somewhere laughing at him now.

Magnus was too busy sulking to notice the flash of blue that crossed the court to the section he was sat in but what did make him look up was how everyone around him squealed with excitement.

His eyes met beautiful hazel ones that were staring right at him with a small smile on those gorgeous lips that belonged to what was no doubt some Greek God because no mortal was _that_ attractive.

“You and Lightwood are totally eye-fucking each other right now.” Clary whispered to him as they watched this boy – _Lightwood_ – make his way past the cheerleaders and up the steps, his gaze never wavering from Magnus’.

“What?” Magnus asked absentmindedly, unable to tear his eyes away from the Harvard player clad in a blue jersey and shorts with a Letterman jacket.

Clary didn’t get to reply to him because the Adonis was already standing in front of them where they were sat and Magnus was suddenly struck with how tall he was.

Lightwood turned to Clary and held out a piece of paper which she accepted with wide and confused eyes. “From Jace, he said to call him.”

Clary gaped at him, as did Camille and Simon and most probably all the other strangers surrounding them that could hear the conversation.

Lightwood’s gaze flickered to Camille who was looking up at him a little expectantly, a coy and flirtatious smile on her lips but Alec just scowled at her and Magnus would have laughed at the blatant rejection if he hadn’t been thoroughly confused and turned on by whatever the hell was going on.

Without really realising, Magnus let the beauty that was smiling at him urge him to stand up. It was a bashful and shy smile, like he was a little nervous of what he was doing but Magnus could also see the determination behind those goddamn gorgeous eyes. He thought he heard him breath out “God, you’re beautiful” but Magnus was too entranced to know whether he was imagining it or not. By the way Clary was grinning though, it was probably all real.

“Hi,” he murmured and _holy shit_ Magnus almost moaned at his voice. “It’s me...um, Alexander...Alec.”

“You play for Harvard.” It wasn’t a question nor a statement, more like Magnus just talking to himself and he inwardly cringed because _that_ had to be the first thing out of his mouth when he was faced with Mr Tall, Dark and Handsome who also happened to be the man Magnus had been talking to for months and was kinda in love with.

Alec hesitated a little before nodding even if it was obvious.

“Lightwood!” A beautiful dark skinned girl with tight ringlet curls called out, a smirk on her face. “Get your ass out here, you can talk to your boyfriend later.”

Alec blushed beautifully at that and Magnus felt himself fall in love just a little bit more. He bit his lip and watched as Alec shyly shuffled out of his jacket, aware of the whole gym’s eyes on the two of them while some of Alec’s teammates hooted and hollered at them.

Magnus felt the warmth of the jacket deep in his bones when Alec pulled it around his shoulders and without even a second of hesitation, Magnus fished his arms through the and inhaled the scent that was pure Alec. It was a bit big on him, hanging a little lose at the shoulders and you could only see the tips of his painted fingernails from the sleeves but Magnus paid that no attention as the next thing he knew, Alec was pulling him in by the jacket and pressing his slightly chapped lips onto Magnus’.

He ignored the gasp and huff from Camille. He ignored the cheers and some sounds of disappointment around him, instead focusing on the slide of Alec’s lips against his. He tasted of orange Lucozade and Magnus couldn’t get enough.

When Alec pulled back, leaving only a hairsbreadth between them with their noses brushing together, he whispered, “Wait for me after the game,” and then he was gone, leaving Magnus to nod dumbly and sit down with wobbly legs.

Camille was saying something about him leading her on but he barely registered her words or Clary’s beaming. His eyes were trained on where Alec was and he watched the whole game in silence on the edge of his seat, feeling his heart flutter every time Alec would score and look up at him, blowing a small kiss with a shy smile.

Within the span of forty minutes, Magnus found that basketball didn’t suck as much as he thought it would. And so what if he was a little biased?

In the back of his mind, Magnus replayed that kiss, realising that it would be all over the internet by the end of the game but he couldn’t bring himself to care because when it was all over, Harvard had wiped the floor with Columbia and Alec took his hand, staring into his eyes with a dazzling smile as he asked him if he’d go on a date with him.

No one was surprised when Magnus took a one year post graduate course at Harvard during Alec’s senior year, and no one was surprised when they moved in together in a loft apartment in Brooklyn a year after that.

The sports world was thrown into frenzy at Alec’s blatant lack of fucks given for anyone’s opinions on his sexuality. ESPN does a whole story on how he’s going to pave the way for more LGBTQ+ members of the sports world and he became sort of a legend with more or less everyone supportive of their relationship, even when he went pro.

And then, four years later, no one was surprised when they got married with a small, private party and Alec went onto the court, proudly displaying Magnus’ initials tattooed on his ring finger in the place of his wedding ring.

Turns out things weren’t so complicated after all.

**Author's Note:**

> If you read my series 'I Found You', I've started writing the Chapstick Challenge but I've hit a bit of a block on it so it's taking a little longer than I expected. I'll try and get it out soon though, so thank you for being patient! <3


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